Joyce M. Dye

She was born in Glencoe, MN to Otto and Marie Ellig of Aitkin, MN. Joyce graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Home Economics. She met David Dye while they both taught high school in Bemidji, MN. Their family grew to five and in 1963, the family moved to Roseville, MN. She was an active volunteer with the Girl Scouts, Trinity Lutheran of Lake Johanna, and Crest View Lutheran Home in Columbia Heights.

Joyce was a gracious hostess in her home, church, and social gatherings. You couldn't enter her home without being offered great food and refreshments. Although she might not have known it, she embraced the Minnesota phrase “a little lunch,” which meant food that was served to anyone that came to visit – regardless of the time of day. Cookies, pastries, or coffee were staples, and the Dye kids remember their mom having fresh bread or raised donuts ready when they got home from school. Scraps of pie crust baked with cinnamon and sugar were another favorite! The house was always clean, and the laundry was always done, thanks to mom.

Joyce was deeply involved in service to her church, especially helping to run the kitchen for special events such as weddings and funerals. She was very involved in organizing the church youth group activities, and later organized many trips for the Trinity seniors that took them all around the country.

Joyce enjoyed traveling with Dave, often attending mathematics conventions and taking the kids along to broaden their view of the world. The kid’s teachers seemed comfortable letting them miss school for three weeks at a time – and knew that the homework would be done upon their return. The family went on long camping trips, and Joyce was as handy with a Coleman stove and a reflector oven as she was with her full kitchen at home. There was never a time when the basement sewing room wasn’t busy – whether Joyce was sewing clothes for the family, helping Paul sew a down jacket from a kit, or making wedding dresses and other clothing for friends and acquaintances - her skill as a seamstress was always evident. Joyce became involved with Crest View when her parents moved there in 1974. She served as chair of the Crest View Helping Hands and was instrumental in raising funds for the development of the new chapel area. Over the years she watched Crest View grow from a senior care center to a full continuum care facility. She and David moved to Royce Place at Crest View in 2010. Although functionally blind for the last several years of her life, she knew the facility and its residents well enough to make daily rounds with her walker to encourage and cheer up her many friends among the community – right up until two months before her final passing. Many friends at the Crest View communities visited with her through her final days, and you could find her room simply by following the crowds. Joyce’s passion for service, volunteerism, and for Christ followed her throughout her life, and she is now at peace with the Lord, with David once again at her side, for all eternity.

Joyce is survived by her children Ann Dyellig of St. Paul, Paul (Louise Hose) Dye of Dayton, NV, and Mary (Del) Moen of Wadena, MN; grandchildren Emilie (Sam) Purvine of Seattle, WA, and Britta Moen; and many loving nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, June 3, at Trinity Lutheran of Lake Johanna, 3245 New Brighton Road, Arden Hills, MN. A visitation and coffee time will precede the service at 9:00 am. Memorials preferred to Vision Loss Resources or Crest View Chapel Fund.